Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
In the 1970s, the heyday of the Taiwan 'economic miracle', the home was set to be de-
molished for the great purpose of road widening. Thankfully, public opinion saved the
day and the house was painstakingly dismantled and, in 1983, rebuilt on this field in Xin-
sheng Park. Today the historic house is notable for its central courtyard, swallowtail roof
and period furniture.
Xingtian Temple TAOIST TEMPLE
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(Xíngtiān Gōng; 109 Minquan E Rd, Sec 2; 5am-11pm; Xingtian Temple) Although it was
only established in 1967, Xingtian Temple is considered especially efficacious as temples
go, and has emerged as one of the city's top centres of folk worship. While a progressive
moral system is taught here, with a de-emphasis on the literal meaning of ritual, you'll
find all manner of fortune telling, including a subterranean 'Street of Fortune Telling' un-
der Minquan E Rd.
National Revolutionary Martyrs' Shrine SHRINE
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(Guómín Gémìng Zhōngliè Cí; 139 Bei'an Rd; 9am-5pm; Jiantan) This large shrine
marks the memory of almost 400,000 soldiers who have died for the ROC (mostly within
China). The bulky complex, which was built in 1969, is typical of the northern 'palace
style' architecture that was popularised during Chiang Kai-shek's reign. The hourly
changing of the guards is a popular tourist attraction.
THE NATIONAL PALACE MUSEUM: AN ART ODYSSEY
The National Palace Museum traces its origins back thousands of years. As early
as the Western Han Dynasty (206 BC-AD 9) emperors sent teams of servants to
confiscate all manner of paintings, sculptures, calligraphy, bronzes and anything
else of value. Many of those items eventually found a home in the Forbidden City in
Beijing (established in the 1400s), a place that truly lived up to its name: unauthor-
ised visitors could be executed. The viewing public at the time was, shall we say,
rather limited.
The Chinese revolution of 1911 forever changed the fate of this collection, though
it was not until 1925, a year after the Emperor Puyi finally left the Forbidden City,
that ordinary Chinese citizens could see the art for themselves.
With the Japanese invasion of Manchuria in 1931 foreshadowing greater trouble,
the museum's contents were moved for safekeeping. The priceless treasures spent
the war years shuttling across KMT-held strongholds in southern China. Despite
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